Chiwetel Ejiofor

The only British actor to make this list is this talented three-time Black Reel Awards winner, Chiwetel Ejiofor who has quietly garnered ten Black Reel Award nominations during his career. Twice, Ejiofor won the Outstanding Actor Black Reel Award for 12 Years A Slave (2013), and Dirty Pretty Things (2002). He also was honored with an Outstanding Television or Mini-Series win for his performance in Dancing on the Edge (2013).

Ejiofor has received four nominations for Outstanding Actor for his work in Z for Zachariah (2015), 12 Years A Slave, Redbelt (2008) and Dirty Pretty Things (2002); five nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor for The Martian (2015), 2012 (2009), Serenity (2005), Kinky Boots (2006) and Children of Men (2006).

On the television side, Ejiofor also was honored with an Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Actor nomination for Dancing on the Edge.

Ejiofor was cast by Steven Spielberg to play a supporting part in the film Amistad. He Ejiofor is known for his portrayal of Okwe in Dirty Pretty Things, the Operative in Serenity, Lola in Kinky Boots, Luke in Children of Men, Dr. Adrian Helmsley in 2012, and Dr. Vincent Kapoor in The Martian. He played Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave, for which he received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, along with the BAFTA Award for Best Actor.